AMY HANSEN

Life is about being a scientist.  Scientists test hypothesis and they view everything as an experiment.  They either get the result they wanted or they are able to take notes and make some small adjustments to try again.

This brings to mind the Thomas Edison quote floating around the internet.  It says something to the effect of “I have not failed.  I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways how NOT make a light bulb.”  As an inventor, Thomas Edison kept going.  He did not let the disappointment of a failed attempt stop him from continuing on his path to create his invention which would change the world.

We get so caught up in our failures that we never see the lesson to improve for the next time.  Instead, we are too busy beating ourselves up, if we would have done this or why didn’t we try that mentality.  We need to get out of this mindset and look at the situation as a learning opportunity.

The simplest thing we can do is view life as an experiment.  Take the pressure of...

In school we were taught to raise our hand in class and even ask for permission to go to the bathroom. Our intelligence was based off how well we could memorize facts and take tests.  Also, don’t forget the subjective papers that we scrutinized over being perfect.

Growing up I was the quiet one in school.  I barely raised my hand for fear that I would have the wrong answer or say something that would make me look stupid.  I learned to stay quiet and even today I find myself shying away from speaking up.  I’m working on that through this blog and social media.

My example is proof that these habits are carried into our adult life.  We have these stories in our minds that we have to have all the answers or we will fail.  We are waiting for everything to be “perfect” before we can proceed.  Constantly on the lookout for confirmation that we are on the right track.  All the while desiring a pat on the back that things look good so far and it’s okay to move forward.  Continually sear...

Many times when we are scrolling social media we see others doing something fun or sharing something they’ve purchased.  Maybe they just achieved a big goal and are celebrating by sharing it with the world.

We start comparing ourselves to what they have done.  We start feeling like we are not enough and put ourselves down.  The name calling starts in our minds; you’re an idiot or why didn’t you think of that?

Often times we can be hit with a tinge of jealousy when we see these posts.  We start thinking, wow, they are having fun and yet I’m stuck here.  I wish I was there or I wish I had that.

Instead of coming from a mindset of lack, think about seeing it from the eyes of abundance.  To be excited for this other person and realize if they have this in their life, it’s possible for me too.

Don’t compare yourself to anyone else.  Be okay with where you are and know that you can achieve great things too.  Be nice to yourself.

Another person’s achievements and what they...

We are the makers of our thoughts.  We control what our mind thinks.  Our thoughts determine our beliefs.  These beliefs are what we hold true about ourselves.  These beliefs are the stories we tell ourselves in certain situations.  And these stories can hold us back from going after our dreams.

Think about some things that you have done in your life that made you a bit afraid.  Whether it’s speaking in front of a group, putting yourself out there on social media, meeting someone new, etc.

We all have these stories that we tell ourselves that psych us out, cause sweaty palms, and butterflies in our stomach.  These moments terrify us because maybe we will look ridiculous or screw up what we were trying to say.  We are afraid of being judged and what other people think of us.

I want to give you a process to help you change your thoughts which will in turn change the story you are telling yourself.

The first step in this process is to acknowledge what exactly the fear...

We all have those moments of frustration when things don’t go the way we hoped.  Sometimes it comes down to lack of communication where a task doesn’t get completed properly.  We may be late or the process just isn’t flowing as smoothly as we’d like.

We are in control of our lives.  It is up to us to communicate what we expect and envision.  No one can read our minds.  When something doesn’t go the way we’d hoped, it’s easy to put the blame on someone or something else other than yourself.  Each one of us is one hundred percent responsible and it’s accepting that it was our own poor communication that caused the result.

There are many roadblocks and obstacles in life.  These moments try and knock us off our game.  We are faced with either giving in or finding a solution.  Often these situations come up when our patience is being tested.

Personally, when someone gets on my nerves, I usually take a deep breath and focus on slowing down to communicate the terms so they un...

There are many mornings when the alarm goes off and you feel like staying in bed.  Then there are on mornings when you have some fun planned and you wake up with excitement ready to start the day.

Jumping out of bed in the morning ready to tackle the day honestly seems like a day dream to me.  Unless we are going away on vacation and I have a time schedule to make a flight, most days are rather routine.

Personally, I love having trips planned.  Having something to look forward to gets me excited about life and the adventures ahead. I can get through the mundane daily chores and work routine with the thought of having some time off to make lasting memories.

Sometimes you need more than just a quarterly trip to bring happiness into your life.  We all fall into the boring daily routine.  Our days begin to look the same because life really isn’t that exciting.  Posting our breakfast picture on social media doesn’t necessarily seem important enough to share anymore.  Especially ...

We hold all the power within us to guide our lives.  We control our thoughts and decide what actions to take.  Often times we look outside ourselves for the answers we are dying to have.  But usually if we turn inward and draw upon our own strength we can find the answers we have always been searching for.

Many times we think if we only had the answer to this then we would take action.  That thought actually holds us back from doing the one thing we know we need to be doing.  We use the constant search for answers as an excuse that keeps us stuck where we are.  We don’t allow ourselves to try and fail because we are so afraid of judgement.  Instead we question ourselves to the point where it’s easier to remain in our comfort zone because it’s safe.  Rarely we put ourselves out there for fear that we may fail.  Worse yet, we may be criticized or made fun of.  We decide that we shouldn’t put ourselves through that pain.

The real underlying pain is remaining where you are.  That i...

Set an intention for how you want to feel this week.

My yoga teacher taught me this idea of setting a weekly intention.  Each week you choose a different aspect to focus on and bring more awareness to it.

This really aligned with my belief in focusing on how I want my life to feel and ways in which to make that happen on a daily basis.

The idea is to make a conscious effort to set an intention to focus on how you want your life to feel.  Then find ways to feel that way on a daily basis.  It may be something you’ve been neglecting in your life or something you feel is missing.

I’ve come to realize that happiness is essential to life feeling good for me.

Defining happiness can be different for everyone.  I will be truly happy when…

For some it’s when they have all the “things.”  Such as, unlimited income, a nice car, a fancy house, the perfect family, etc.  Essentially, having everything you could possibly imagine.  I think we’ve all heard those stories of people ...

Finding your purpose is a major goal in life.  We often struggle to know what our main purpose in life is.  Today we are going to define your gift, passion, and purpose in life.

First, let’s start by defining your gift.

Gift

Your gift is your talent. It’s what you’re inherently good at. Your gift is your unique tool of choice to help someone.  It’s what you do naturally when someone comes to you for help.  Consider your gift to be a strength that you may have had since you were young.  You may have a few gifts.  Gifts can be the power of communication, time management, amazing vocals, etc.

Passion

Your passion is your outlet right now.  It’s your current choice of where you’re using your gift.  This can be on a blog, in video, on stage, etc.  Your passion can change over time.  It’s what you’re excited about right now in order to share your unique gift.

Purpose

Your purpose is why you want to help others.  It’s your mission in life.  You’ve probably been through some...

We all have limiting beliefs that holds us back from stepping outside our comfort zone.  There is an inner critic inside that puts us down or tells us we can’t do something.

How do we change that voice inside our head?

Step 1

Notice negative patterns. If there is a phrase or belief that you keep using that is not benefiting you then take notice.  Make a mental note of these thought patterns and what they are causing you to miss out on.  If these beliefs are holding you back from going after something you want then it’s time we change that belief and the story we are telling ourselves.

Step 2

Acknowledge and decide you want to make a change.  Only you have the power to choose to change.  You have to decide you want this bad enough.  Usually life gets to a breaking point where it feels like there is no other option but to change.  Otherwise you keep living the same life over and over without any growth.  As high achievers, we flourish on learning and improving our lives.  W...